Electronic signature validation systems and methods for asynchronous environments

• US 20080046962A1
• Filed: 08/21/2006
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Allen, David L., Yukawa, Steven J., Anstey, Timothy W., Jain, Rajit
• Granted Patent: US 8,479,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A system and method for non-real-time validation of an electronically signed message transmitted via an asynchronous communications link is provided. The method includes creating an electronic message comprising an electronically signed data entry created by executing a secure data application first portion (SDA1) module hosted by a mobile system. The method additionally includes passing the message to a communications management function first portion (CMF1) module via a synchronous interface. The CMF1 module is hosted by the mobile system. The method further includes transmitting the message from the CMF1 module to a communications management function second portion (CMF2) module in a temporally delayed manner using an asynchronous communications link. The CMF2 module is hosted by a central computer system (CCS) located remotely from the mobile system. The method further yet includes validating the electronically signed entry in a temporally delayed manner utilizing a user database. The user database is hosted by the CCS and has stored thereon user account information for all users authorized to electronically sign entries transmitted from the mobile system to the CCS. The user account information includes user information and/or user personal identification numbers (PINs) for each authorized user.

Claims

1. An electronic signature validation system, said system comprising:

at least one onboard computer system (OCS) hosted by at least one mobile system; and

at least one central computer system (CCS) located remotely from the at least one OCS and configured to receive electronically signed messages from the at least one OCS via an asynchronous communications link, the at least one CCS comprising;

a user database having stored thereon user account information for all users authorized to electronically sign messages transmitted from the from the at least one OCS to the at least one CCS, via the asynchronous communications link.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one OCS comprises a secure data application first portion (SDA1) module and a communications management function first portion (CMF1) module that synchronously interfaces with the SDA1.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one CCS comprises:

a secure data application second portion (SDA2) module;

a communications management function second portion (CMF2) module that synchronously interfaces with the SDA1; and

a signature validator module that asynchronously interfaces with the SDA2 and is configured to validate an electronic signature attached to a message transmitted from the from the at least one OCS to the at least one CCS, via the asynchronous communications link.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one CCS further comprises a user name and personal identification number (PIN) retrieval module that asynchronously interfaces with the signature validator module and is configured to retrieve user information and PINs from the user database and asynchronously transmit the user information and PINs to the signature validator module to validate the electronic signature.

5. A method for non-real-time validation of an electronically signed message transmitted via an asynchronous communications link, said method comprising:

creating an electronic message comprising an electronically signed data entry by executing a secure data application first portion (SDA1) module hosted by a mobile system;

passing the message to a communications management function first portion (CMF1) module via a synchronous interface, the CMF1 module hosted by the mobile system;

transmitting the message from the CMF1 module to a communications management function second portion (CMF2) module in a temporally delayed manner using an asynchronous communications link, the CMF2 module hosted by a central computer system (CCS) located remotely from the mobile system; and

validating the electronically signed entry in a temporally delayed manner utilizing a user database, hosted by the CCS, having stored thereon user account information for all users authorized to electronically sign entries transmitted from the mobile system to the CCS, the user account information comprising at least one of user information and a user personal identification number (PIN) for each authorized user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein creating the electronic message comprises executing the SDA1 module to generate the electronic entry, electronically sign the entry and create the electronic message comprising the electronically signed entry.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein electronically signing the entry comprises entering the user account information specific to a user that is executing the SDA1 to create an electronic signature used to electronically sign the entry, the user account information specific to the user comprising at least one of user information specific to the user and a PIN specific to user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein creating the electronic message further comprises storing the entry and the user account information in an SDA1 database included in the SDA1 module.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein creating the electronic message further comprises passing the electronically signed entry to a signature generator module and a cryptographic functions module via synchronous interfaces to convert the electronically signed entry to a formatted data string that forms the electronic message and is interpretable by the CMF1 module, the signature generator module and the cryptographic functions module hosted by the mobile system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein converting the electronically signed entry to a formatted data string comprises including a hardware electronic certificate for an onboard computer system (OCS) that resides on the mobile system and hosts the SDA1 module, the hardware electronic certificate including a dynamic certificate that contains an identification number of the mobile system on which the OCS resides.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein converting the electronically signed entry to a formatted data string comprises encrypting the formatted data string.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein transmitting the message from the CMF1 module to the CMF2 module in a temporally delayed manner, comprises transmitting the message using an encrypted asynchronous communications link between the CMF1 module and the CMF2 module.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein validating the electronically signed entry comprises:

passing the received message from the CMF2 module to a secure data application second portion (SDA2) module hosted by CCS, via a synchronous interface; and

passing the message from the SDA2 module to a signature validator module, via an a synchronous interface, to validate the electronic signature, the signature validator module hosted by the CCS.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein validating the electronically signed entry comprises evoking a user specific information and PIN retrieval (USIPR) module, hosted by the CCS, to access the user database to verify that the user account information is included in the electronic signature.

15. A method for temporally delayed validation of an electronically signed message transmitted from a mobile platform to a remotely located central computer system via an asynchronous communications link, said method comprising:

creating an electronic message comprising an electronically signed data entry by executing a secure data application first portion (SDA1) module to generate the electronic data entry, electronically sign the entry and create the electronic message comprising the electronically signed data entry, the SDA1 hosted by a mobile platform;

passing the message to a communications management function first portion (CMF1) module via a synchronous interface, the CMF1 module hosted by the mobile platform;

transmitting the message from the CMF1 module to a communications management function second portion (CMF2) module in a temporally delayed manner using an asynchronous communications link, the CMF2 module hosted by a central computer system (CCS) located remotely from the mobile platform; and

validating the electronically signed entry in a temporally delayed manner utilizing a user database, hosted by the CCS, having stored thereon user account information for all users authorized to electronically sign entries transmitted from the mobile platform to the CCS, the user account information comprising at least one of user information and a user personal identification number (PIN) for each authorized user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein electronically signing the entry comprises entering the user account information specific to a user that is executing the SDA1 to create an electronic signature used to electronically sign the entry, the user account information specific to the user comprising at least one of user information specific to the user and a PIN specific to user.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein creating the electronic message further comprises passing the electronically signed entry to a signature generator module and a cryptographic functions module via synchronous interfaces to convert the electronically signed entry to a formatted data string that forms the electronic message and is interpretable by the CMF1 module, the signature generator module and the cryptographic functions module hosted by the mobile platform.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein converting the electronically signed entry to a formatted data string comprises including a hardware electronic certificate for an onboard computer system (OCS) that resides on the mobile platform and hosts the SDA1 module, the hardware electronic certificate including a dynamic certificate that contains an identification number of the mobile platform on which the OCS resides.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein converting the electronically signed entry to a formatted data string comprises encrypting the formatted data string.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein converting the electronically signed entry to a formatted data string comprises formatting the electronic message to include a personal digital certificate specific to the user using the signature generator module.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting the message from the CMF1 module to the CMF2 module in a temporally delayed manner, comprises transmitting the message using an encrypted asynchronous communications link between the CMF1 module and the CMF2 module.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein validating the electronically signed entry comprises:

passing the received message from the CMF2 module to a secure data application second portion (SDA2) module hosted by CCS, via a synchronous interface; and

passing the message from the SDA2 module to a signature validator module, via an a synchronous interface, to validate the electronic signature, the signature validator module hosted by the CCS.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein validating the electronically signed entry comprises evoking a user specific information and PIN retrieval (USIPR) module, hosted by the CCS, to access the user database to verify that the user account information included in the electronic signature is valid.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising permanently maintaining a list of transactions representing all actions against the SDA1 module an SDA1 database included in the SDA1 module.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the list of transactions includes a date and a time the electronic signature was generated and applied to the entry.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein passing the message to the CMF1 module via a synchronous interface comprises checking the integrity of the message using the CMF1.